Not long afterward, Phelps himself tweeted, "Beautiful work of an angry God who told Wisconsin to keep their filthy hands off his people (WBC)! #godsenttheshooter!"

Phelps and his followers had previously threatened to extend their hate-filled pickets to the vicitms of last month's theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., saying that theater shooter James Holmes had been sent by God.

Last week, Congress passed a law preventing pickets at military funerals two hours before or after a service, and that requires demonstrators to remain at least 300 feet away from grieving family members. President Obama is set to sign the measure into law Monday afternoon at the White House.

Authorities said a 40-year-old ex-solder, Wade Page, was the man responsible for the massacre. Six people were shot and killed at the Temple in Oak Creek, Wisc., just outside of Milwaukee, Sunday.